


Once More Around the Track

by Cloudsong (Hinata_Akiama)



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Evolving Tags, Horses, More relationships to come, Multi, Slow Burn, horse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-06-04 14:14:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6661792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hinata_Akiama/pseuds/Cloudsong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cloud is a podunk kid from the ass end of the Nibelheim show scene. When he moves to Midgar and joins a high end show stable, how does the country boy handle the big city and big show politics?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once More Around the Track

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DrNeverland](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrNeverland/gifts).



> So first off, obligatory horse AU xD this is gonna be set sorta in a mix between the real world and FFVII’s verse, so I’ll have some things like in our world (some breeds, some classifications) and places as much as I can in FFVII. Hopefully it doesn’t get too confusing for anyone! I’m a little out of practice with my ‘horse-ese’ cause I’ve been out of the show circuit for years, but I’ll try my best to make it work <3

Blond hair flopped into gentle blue eyes as Cloud jerked awake in the passenger’s seat of his truck. The driver laughed softly, and pointed out of the window without a word, calling attention to the beautiful wooded surroundings and the smattering of pasture and barns that Cloud could catch from the road. “ _Are we almost there, Mother?_ ” Cloud asked in his native tongue, flicking his eyes to his mother, in the driver’s seat.

“ _Yes! And if I’d known you’d like it so much, I would have shipped you here years go!”_  Christal laughed, voice as big as her heart. Her cerulean eyes sparked in mirth as she followed the directions spat out by the navigation device pinned to the dashboard.

Cloud groaned, running his hands over his face and up through his hair, giving her a long-suffering look. “ _I’m surprised you let me come now! You’ve been so adamant that I not leave Nibelheim_.” He pointed out, wincing as she reached over and flicked his ear harshly.

Christal leaned back and chuckled. “ _You’ve been dominating the ring for at least two years, Cloudy. I know how much you wanted to travel, and I couldn’t keep you from your dreams if I tried._ ”

“ _So it’s just for the challenge?_ ” Cloud seemed amused, lips curling in a little grin.

She shook her head, slowly turning the truck and trailer down a thin, winding dirt road, reaching over to push the button off of the navigation. “ _Who knows what or who you’ll find here, baby~”_ Christal sang, taking her time and slowly making their way down the potholed trail that lead to where Cloud would be staying and working.

“ _Do you know how Árvakr and Alsviðr are doing?_ ”

“ _I haven’t checked since an hour ago. But look, we’re here! Looks like Cid and Vincent are waiting for us! Go open the gate, Cloud._ ” Cloud’s mother shooed her son from the cap of the truck, waving excitedly at the couple sitting on the porch of the house directly to the right of the gate, facing it.

Cloud jogged lightly over to the gate and pulled it open, nodding to his mother as she drove into the massive turnabout that took up most of the area in front of the gate itself. He could make out no less than three large barns and a dozen pastures scattered around. Down a stone pathway from Cid and Vincent’s home was a massive covered arena with a small building attached to it, and another path lead down a steep slope into a valley. Cloud looked up at the couple on the porch, quietly taking them in.

One was dressed in jeans and a thick coat, blond hair shining in the dawn. The other was dressed in a thick black coat, with black hair piled up in a bun at the back of his head. The blond hurried forward, grinning lightly as he shifted a cigarette from between two gloved fingers up to his mouth and took a long drag. “Hey kid.”

 “Cid!” Christel squealed as she launched herself out of the car, tackling the jean-clad man in a hug. “It’s been too long! Years! Why haven’t you come to visit!”

“Woman, get offa me! An’ cause your damn home is under snow fuckin’ 11 months outta the year!” Cid groused, but wrapped the woman in a hug. He chuckled softly, before pulling Christal to arm’s length. “So show me your spawn.”

The woman dances away from Cid, dragging Cloud over by an arm. “This is Cloud! Ah, I am still so thankful that you’re both willing to foster him here!”

“Mother, please.” Cloud murmured softly, blushing deeply to the roots of his hair. He rubbed his free arm with his hand, obviously exceedingly unsure in front of the two strangers.

“It is no worry, Mrs. Strife.” The black-clothed man finally spoke, his voice warm and soothing, obviously picking up on Cloud’s increasing panic. “Why don’t we get the horses settled, and then go for breakfast?” He offered, masterfully pulling the situation away from the youngest of the group.

“Oh, what a wonderful idea! I’m sure they’re aching to get out! You’re such a dear, Vincent.” Christal smiled warmly, leaning up to press a kiss to Vincent’s cheek, moving fluidly to the trailer and opening it.

Cid nodded lightly and looked Cloud over once more, before grunting. “So what’re their names?”

“Ah. . . Árvakr and Alsviðr.”

“That’s a fuckin’ mouthful.”

“Vak and Ally work.”

Cid grunted and shrugged, moving to the back of the trailer with Christal. Cloud watched him go with apprehension, teeth nibbling at his bottom lip and fingers teasing the hem of his sweatshirt.

“Do not worry about Cid. He is abrasive at the best of times, and he is normally not awake this early. I am Vincent Valentine, and I will be handling most of your training and managing your work around the barn.” Vincent offered a hand to Cloud, brown eyes warm.

Cloud offered a small smile to the elder man, and took his hand. “Cloud Strife.”

“A pleasure, Cloud. Shall we assist the others with the horses?”

“Please, Árvakr tends not to like other people handling him. Alsviðr couldn’t care less.” Right on time, Cid started shouting obscenities as Christal laughed.

After breakfast, Christal had helped Cloud unload the trailer, getting all of the supplies for the horses put away, like their tack and a supplement of feed they’d shipped from Nibelheim, to mix with the feed that Cid and Vincent shipped in for the boarded horses at the stable. Cloud then got a shower, dressed himself for a simple afternoon of trail riding around the massive property, and grabbed Vak.

He lead the horse down a cobblestone path that winded down a steep hill, around a small covered crosstie building and the outdoor arena. Cloud opened the gate into the crosstie building and looked around, humming softly under his breath.

The building itself wasn’t much to talk about, only a roof supported by a bunch of wooden pillars. The outer pillars made out a square, with half-walls along the outer edge of the building. Inner pillars and railings between those and the outer pillars marked out square U shaped stalls, each with a rubber mat to cushion the horse’s feet from the harsh concrete. The main pillars at the opening of each stall had nylon ropes with heavy duty clips, which Cloud attached to Vak’s halter after he’d walked the horse into one of the half-dozen crossties and turned him around.

That kept the horse from moving anywhere as Cloud got out a grooming kit, putting it on the railing to the left of his horse. “I’m surprised you got through that whole trip uninjured.” He murmured soothingly to the high-strung mount, chuckling as Vak threw his head around and lipped at the air. “I’m sure, your life is so hard, isn’t it?” Cloud snorted as he picked up a strange brush with his other hand. The whole thing was rubber, basically a flat puck with a rubber strap horizontally over it, and large rubber ‘teeth’ on the other side. He slipped the strap over his hand and cupped the rubber in his hand, before vigorously rubbing the teeth over his horse in circular motions.

“I mean, we did just fly you over a giant ocean and you were probably bored out of your mind huh?” Cloud hummed as he worked, using the curry comb to pull up any dirt lodged deep in his horse’s hair, frowning softly as he worked mud out of a giant patch on Vak’s hindquarters. “What the hell, did you roll this morning? You’re fucking caked in mud. What the fuck. This, this right here is why I don’t ever let you out without a sheet on, this is ridiculous you’re gonna be discoloured until I bathe you. I hope you’re happy with yourself.”

Cloud was so interested in working the caked-in mud that he didn’t even notice another person leading their horse into the crossties to his direct right, and missed the gauging look of sharp green eyes as Cloud kept muttering about mud and light horses under his breath, occasionally cursing in his native tongue.

He, unfortunately, yelped loudly and jumped nearly two feet in the air as a saddle thunked down on the railing right next to Cloud’s elbow, effectively pulling Cloud out of his own little world. He looked up...and up...and finally _up_.

The man in front of Cloud was probably in his early-to-mid-twenties, only a bit older than Cloud himself. He had silver hair, from what Cloud could see, and piercing green eyes that gazed at Cloud like he was something no more interesting than a bug in the grass. Elegantly gloved hands smoothed over the expensive saddle he’d just tossed atop the railing between them, before he sharply turned back to the stunning grey horse in the crosstie next to Vak’s.

Cloud couldn’t help but stare at the long braid of silver hair as it brushed the bottom of the man’s frankly magnificent ass, clad in white breeches that clung to every bit of muscle in the man’s legs. Tall black boots and a mint green polo shirt tucked into his breeches completed the look, making Cloud – in his jeans and ratty tee and mud-caked boots – feel completely out of place. Hell, even his horse was virtually spotless, in comparison to Vak’s messy side.

“I... uhm... G-good afternoon!” Cloud stumbled over the words, incredibly thankful that he’d not accidentally slipped back into his native tongue instead of speaking English. He shrank a bit under the cool green gaze, biting his lip.

“You are using my crosstie.”

“. . Excuse me?”

“That is the crosstie I always use.”

“Oh! I... uh... S-sorry? I can move?”

“It does not matter now, just do no use it in the future.” The man said coolly, although it was as biting as a winter’s wind in Cloud’s homeland.

Cloud gulped lightly and turned back to his horse, starting back in on trying to get the mud out of Vak’s hair, pursing his lips. “Y-Your horse is beautiful. An Oldenburg, right?”

“Incorrect. Jenova is a Holsteiner.” The man rolled his eyes slightly, pointing out the crown and shield brand on her left hip.

Cloud could have stabbed himself with a hoof pick. “Oh... right. Well. I’m Cloud Strife.”

“Sephiroth.” Sephiroth turned back to his horse, gently unwrapping the wraps protecting the mare’s legs. He draped them over the railing, bending down to carefully brush down her legs, and started to tack up.

Cloud’s eyes widened comically. “S-Sephiroth? Like…Gold medal World Equestrian Games, youngest to ever win a medal Sephiroth?”

“Correct, now, if you’ll excuse me, I have training to do.” Sephiroth snapped at him, pointedly putting his attention on Jenova.

Cloud forced his attention back onto Vak, who was giving the hairy eyeball to Jenova in the crosstie next to him. “Don’t even start.” Cloud muttered, switching out the curry comb for another flat brush, this time wood with hundreds of stiff bamboo bristles. He slipped the hard brush on his hand, starting to get all of the dirt he’d worked up off of his horse.

The two ignored one another for the most part, although Cloud had a lot of sneaky little looks at Sephiroth as the man put on the saddle pad, then the saddle, girthed his horse, picked her hooves, and put on the bridle. Cloud wasn’t even done using a third brush -this time with soft horse hair bristles instead of the bamboo or rubber ones-  by the time Sephiroth left the outer crosstie area with Jenova, leading her over to the nearby mounting block and hopping on.

Cloud frowned deeply, losing himself in the repetitive motions of soft brushing Vak, trying to ignore the snub from the silver-haired rider. “Don’t let him bother you, kid.” A new voice added in, and Cloud – for the second time today – jumped out of his skin.

Blue eyes snapped to a black, spiky-haired teen who laughed at the skittish blonde. “Seph’s a total dick half the time. I’m Zack, by the way, Zack Fair. I heard a new kid was coming from overseas, and judging by your horse, you’re the new one, ammaright?” He ran the last bit together, walking down the ramp into the crosstie area and offering a hand to Vak to smell.

“Uh yeah, I’m Cloud Strife. And be careful, Vak likes to bite.” He pointed out and grinned as his horse pinned his ears and took a snap at the teen. He moved to grab a regular hair brush, working the knots out of Vak’s tail.

“Oh shit you weren’t kidding! I like ‘em spunky though!” Zack laughed, ducking under the teeth and patting the horse’s recently-cleaned neck. “Wow, he’s shiny as fuck. What breed is he?”

“A Fjord horse. You’d think with his size that he’s a pony, but no. They’re just bred smaller. He’s actually big for a Fjord.”

“Dude he can’t be more than like…what, 15hh?”

“He’s 15.1hh actually.”

“Damn, and he’s thick as fuck too. Strong little guy, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, they’re great like that. I use him for three day Eventing.”

“You can dressage with him?”

“Surprisingly!” Cloud laughed, having moved on to picking Vak’s hooves. He brushed the loose dirt out, and then used to pick to get the packed in dirt out from around Vak’s frogs. “Right now, I think we’re showing this year at…Well, we’re just starting the International levels…So we’re gonna be training for IC*.” He hummed softly, not noticing Zack’s shocked look.

“Is that why you decided to move here?” Zack dodged another snap and moved to the front of Vak, petting his ears and nose, grinning lightly at the temper on the small horse.

“Yeah, it hasn’t been too fun dominating the Nibelheim and Rocket show scene.” Cloud laughed, moving on to Vak’s back hooves.

“Damn kid, you’re how old?”

“I’m turning nineteen. I’ve been riding since I was a baby though, so is it so surprising? Besides, IC* allows people 16 and up. Mother just didn’t want me to start trying for international shows so young.” Cloud stood and nodded, smiling to Zack. “Can you watch him for a moment while I grab my tack?”

“Yeah sure, I’m waiting for my girlfriend Aerith to get here with the horses. And don’t sell yourself short, kid. Most people don’t even see IC*** let alone anything higher.” Zack snickered softly. “Me, I like just tooling around.” He said, waving Cloud off to grab his tack.

Cloud ducked into the fully enclosed and climate controlled tack room, picking up his saddle and pad, and gazing around for his bridle. He found it on a rack nearby, with a lovingly doodled version of his horse’s name on the cup, and Ally’s bridle right next to Vak’s. He grinned a bit at his mother’s parting touch, before picking up the bridle and breast collar, heading back out. “So you and your girlfriend train here? Or board?”

“Little of both, actually. I keep my English horse here, and Aerith does a lot of training with Vincent. Vince likes it cause she only rides sidesaddle most of the time, and it makes like, dressage super fun for him to teach.”

“I couldn’t imagine trying to do that side saddle.” Cloud laughed, putting on the saddle pad and lining it up with Vak’s withers, and then hoisting the saddle on. “This is where it gets fun.” The blonde complained, sliding the buckles on the end of the girth up the tabs between the leg flap and the underside of the saddle. He moved around to Vak’s right side and did the same thing, frowning. “Stop holding your breath. You know I’m just going to tighten it when I get on anyway.” He muttered, ignoring Zack’s choked laugh.

He picked up the breast collar and bridle, taking off Vak’s halter long enough to slide the breast collar over his head, and then reattached the halter around Vak’s neck. Cloud brought the crown up and rested it in front of Vak’s ears, offering the bit to his horse. “Don’t be stubborn.” Cloud groaned as his horse threw his head around and jerked, his body moving all around the free space in the crosstie.

“Is he always like that?” Zack asked, backing off and looking out of the open area for Aerith’s truck, frowning slightly when he didn’t see her.

“Unfortunately. Most Fjords are really good tempered, but he’s just an ass.” Cloud shook his head, finally getting the simple snaffle bit into Vak’s mouth. He slid the crownpiece over Vak’s ears, adjusting the brow band and pulling his forelock through so it rested atop the browband. Cloud reached under to pick up the throat latch and slide it up to its preferred hole, doing the same with the noseband. Cloud ducked back under the nylon rope and clipped the breast collar to small D rings on the front of his saddle, and then leaned under his horse to attach the last clip of the breast collar to the larger D ring in the middle of his girth. “Annnnnnd we’re off.” Cloud chuckled, unclipping one side of the crossties and unlatching the halter, letting it fall to the other side.

Cloud easily picked up the reins and moved out to the mounting block, which was simple a set of four stairs that lead to a platform. He stopped right before the block and pulled his stirrups down from their storage position, and then walked up three of the steps.

“So, know any good trails?” Cloud asked Zack, whom had followed him out after he’d left the crossties, sticking his foot in his left stirrup and easily hopping aboard. Vak gave a little grunt and bucked lightly, dancing around as Cloud tried to get settled and adjusted. Zack reached out to grab Vak’s bridle to hold him still long enough for Cloud not to immediately fall back off of his horse.

Cloud grinned down at him, and Zack backed off a little bit as Cloud pulled his left leg forward, tightening the girth so that his saddle wouldn’t slip. “Yeah, actually. Although if you wanna wait for a little bit and ride in the warmup ring, you can come with Aerith and I. We’re out on trails today.” Zack nodded as a soft pink truck and trailer pulled into the lower gate, which was nearby the crosstie building.

Cloud nodded, the grin on his lips huge as he gently nudged Vak’s side, turning him around towards the gate of the outdoor arena. “Yeah, sure, I’d love that, actually. Can you grab the gate for me?” He asked softly, his grin getting even larger as Zack easily moved over to open the gate.

“Cool, I’ll go help her get ready then! We’ll be like, fifteen mins.” Cloud bobbed his head in assent, smiling at him as Zack closed the gate. His eyes lifted to scan the arena, freezing atop Vak for a moment as he noticed Sephiroth on the far side of the massive arena.

Cloud took his time to walk around ‘his half’ of the arena, keeping his reins loose and barely in contact with Vak’s mouth, watching the former top rider of the world work.

Cloud let his mind wander back about seven years, remembering the triumphant win of then fifteen-year-old Sephiroth and the amazing Masamune. They’d taken the show world by storm, and had beat not only his father and trainer Vincent Valentine, but nearly forty other competitors to take the limelight.

The world had come crashing down for Sephiroth not even two months later, when a freak accident cost Sephiroth not only a year’s worth of agony, but the death of his beloved horse. After that, it’d been years since anyone had heard anything from the child prodigy, and when they had, it was only a CC* event that he’d placed fifth in.

Right now, from what Sephiroth was working on, he was probably at least trying the smaller national circuits this year, maybe working on the first of the internationals. Cloud couldn’t stop a giddy feeling in his chest. If Sephiroth was competing at the same level as him this year…

He jerked a little bit as Vak bucked hard enough to almost unseat Cloud, forcing his attention back on his horse and what they were doing – like it should have been the whole time.

Besides, Sephiroth was a jerk, no matter how hot he was. Cloud nodded firmly to himself and picked up his reins, easing into a gentle trot.

But if Sephiroth was truly such an ass, why couldn’t Cloud stop thinking about him?

**Author's Note:**

> THIS IS 1000% DRNEVERLAND'S IDEA. ALL OF IT. You can find me on Tumblr @lyriumsong, and for those of you curious about the horses:
> 
> http://lyriumsong.tumblr.com/post/143409201084/for-my-fic-a-pic-of-vak-and-jenova-3-neither


End file.
